Broadside Collisions

Broadside car collisions are extremely dangerous, especially if there is someone sitting on the side hit. I was driving in the city today and observed so many close calls that I thought it should be noted in a blog.

I saw drivers deliberately making their turns directly in front of oncoming traffic just assuming the cars would slow down or stop so they could complete their turn. For the sake of saving a few moments these drivers risked life and limb of themselves, their passengers, and the unlucky people in oncoming traffic. Some of the near accidents were so close that it was a miracle it was avoided.

You would think that only single drivers in broken down cars would take such chances but you'd be wrong. All of the offending drivers I saw today were driving fairly new cars and at least one of them had a child in the passenger seat. If their car had been broadsided, the child would have been seriously injured or killed.

We see far too many vehicles being driven in a reckless manner by people in too much of a hurry. If only the driver of that car was killed in a crash it wouldn't be so bad but their stupidity usually takes out other cars and ruins or compromises the lives of innocent people who got in their way.

When my granddaughter, Lisette, was about 3 or 4 we were at the local mall and I was driving in the main lane through the parking lot. All of a sudden a car came roaring from a side lane where the parking spaces were and barely missed broadsiding me. If I had been going any faster it would have smashed into the side of the car where my granddaughter was sitting and possibly killed her. I was so angry that I took off after the car and chased it down until it stopped. The woman driver was in hysterics, terribly upset by what her careless driving had almost caused.

We really have to keep in mind that cars are large, heavy instruments that can cause devastation in a moment if we're careless or distracted. I hate to admit it but most of the bad drivers I see on the road are elderly. The young often drive too fast but some elderly drivers make the damnest stupid moves imaginable. One old man began to drive straight through a turning light at a major intersection one day, then made a U turn when he realized what he was doing. He slowly drove back the way he'd come and I've wondered ever since if he's still on the road.

I love to drive but I've made my own goofs. Luckily, they're few and far between because I'm a very cautious driver but I know the day will come when I have to give it up. Getting old is okay but getting too old is a pain in the butt.